In Memories
by sgttashigi
Summary: Our heroes find a wrecked Fire Navy ship, where they also find Zuko. He has lost his memory, and can only remember his name and not much of anything else. As friendships and romance bloom will his returning memory ruin it all?
1. 1: Among the Wreckage

Author's Note: This fan fiction takes place after season one. I took some liberties with Zula, since we haven't really met her yet. I am aiming at the pairing Zutara, but I plan on keep the characters true to their personalities. Let me know what you think either way.

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_"Among the Wreckage"_

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Some time had passed since the showdown with the Northern Water Tribe, and Zuko with the help of his Uncle had obtained another crew and a Fire Navy ship. Most of the new crew where from his previous ship, and the new shipmates had joined after the retired General Iroh explained Zuko's mission and banishment to them. They felt it was an honor to serve someone who cared about not only his country, but also the people who lived in it. However the union of the crew was short lived. 

A fleet of Fire Navy ships attacked the Zuko and his men, and the one calling all the shots was none other than Zuko's sister Zula. She had ordered an attack to sink her brother's ship and to make sure he went down with it. Many lives were lost, but once again Zuko was able to escape. Iroh was picked up by Zula's crew.

She smiled, but her voice seemed to hiss as she greeted Iroh, "Welcome aboard my dear uncle."

"Zula! You attacked your own brother! How could you be so heartless?"

"My brother is dead." She scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. She and Iroh entered her room. Zula knew of her Uncles love for tea so he had an onboard servant bring them some.

"You are too cruel."

Zula took a sip of tea and raised an eyebrow to her uncle.

"I mean in regards to Zuko. It is horrible that you want him dead." Iroh too began to drink his tea.

""He didn't die today. He has been dead to me ever since he lost the Agni Kai!"

"Zula," her uncle said trying to encourage her to collect herself.

The young girl simply stood and left her uncle to his tea. She hated how calm he was nearly all the time. It made her want to scream!

Sometime later…

Our three heroes flew over the ocean thanks to Appa.

"Good boy Appa!" Aang laughed as Momo jumped from Sokka's shoulder to Aang's head.

Katara laughed as Aang made a silly grinning face at the lemur.

Sokka sighed noticing that when Momo had left his shoulder the lemur had taken the moon peach that he was planning to eat with him. " Momo you thief!" Sokka stood to shake his fist at Momo and call names, but stopped once he spotted wrecked ship in the water near by. "Hey guys look over there!" He called to Aang and Katara as he pointed to the left of the flying bison.

The ship's wreckage was worse than anything they had seen in the war. "Some one went a bit over board on attacking it… err uh no pun intended," Aang winced at the idea that anyone might think what he said was a joke.

"We should see if there are any survivors," Katara suggested.

"No we shouldn't." Aang and Katara looked at Sokka. "Look, see the bodies?" He pointed to a few that were clearly dead, " They are wearing Fire Nation armor. We definitely don't want to help them."

Katara frowned at her brother, "But Sokka, Dad would want us too. He always said we are 'human before we are enemies.' We should help!"

"Yeah Sokka," Aang agreed. "And maybe we can find someone to help me master fire bending!"

" Two to one Sokka, can't argue with that"

"Fine! Why do I know that this will lead to trouble?" The Young warrior wined as he flopped back down to his normal sitting spot on Appa's Saddle.

Aang had Appa land on an island close to where the ship was.

"Ok Appa, be good we'll be back soon." Aang petted Appa's thick fur then ran to catch up with Katara and Sokka, who had walked on a head of him. Momo went along with the three riding on Aang's shoulder.

A few hours had passed and they found nothing.

"I say we head back soon," Sokka suggested.

"Maybe you're right," Katara added.

Aang sighed, but as he did so Momo jumped off his shoulder and ran down the beach. "Hey! Momo wait up!" The monk called after his pet lemur.

On the beach Zuko felt his world spinning as he tried to open his eyes. He had so many things running through his head. He saw a strange blur as his eyes began to come into focus. He heard a child's voice…no two... THREE voices. He felt some thing on his chest as his eyes finally came into focus. "A lemur?" He mumbled. Oh how noise hurt his head, even the sound of his own voice. The other voices where getting loader. Zuko tried to sit up but started to have some trouble.

"Momo," The three called after the lemur. But they were shocked when they saw…

"Zuko!" Aang said with bitterness to his voice as all three took a ready fighting since.

"Huh?" Zuko heard his name and turned his head on the sand to see who had called him. "You know me?"

"Only a bit," Sokka said with rough tone.

Zuko sat up fully. His head throbbed so bad he couldn't help but clasp his hands to his scalp. He stayed that way for a few minutes.

"Hey guys, isn't kind of weird that he hasn't attacked yet?" Katara pointed out.

"He's just waiting until we let our guard down," Sokka answered her question.

Katara grabbed Aang's hand, "What are you doing," the young monk asked.

"Shhh I want to try something." She said leading the boy closer to where Zuko sat.

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A/N: Oh noes a cliff hanger! 


	2. 2: Companions

Disclaimer: Forgot to mention, I don't own Avatar tear

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Let me know if I mess up at any time with a character personality or something crazy. Ok?

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"Companions"

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Katara led Aang over to confused fire nation prince, " Do you remember us Zuko? This is Aang."

The waterbender placed her hands on Aang's shoulders as they both smiled innocently at Zuko. Threw his grinning teeth Aang muttered to Katara, "what are you doing?"

The young girl leaned close to the Avatar's ear so Zuko would not hear, " Just trust me on this Aang, if he doesn't remember us then-"

"I think I do," came Zuko's voice. A fearful look took over the faces of our heroes," I don't recall everything, but I think we have meet before. Am I right?"

"Woo that was close! For a moment I thought he might realize who you are," Katara whispered with a relieved tone to Aang.

"Yeah we are really lucky." Aang added.

"Lucky!" Sokka cut in, "Do you realize who the both of you are talking too!"

"Shut up Sokka," Katara snapped at her brother. She then noticed Zuko had a puzzled look on his face, "Oh sorry. I'm Katara and that ranting lunatic is my brother, Sokka. You look like you got pretty beat up from that ship wreck, why don't you come with us for a bit?"

"Wait. I'm the lunatic, but she is the one asking our enemy to be traveling companions?" Sokka muttered to no one.

Aang smiled at the fire nation teen, "And along the way you can show me fire bending!"

"Firebending?"

Katara and Aang looked shocked. "Don't you know what firebending is," the girl questioned.

"Of cores I do," Zuko said with a bit of his old attitude showing, then his tone lessened. "I just didn't know I was able to do it."

All three stared at the fire prince unsure of what to say. Weather to be happy or sad of this outcome.

"Its ok Zuko," Aang smiled trying to cheer him up. "We can learn together."

At this idea of doing something, of learning with such kind people, Zuko smiled. Even if he couldn't remember them well, he wasn't about to destroy any chance he had to find himself. Zuko was becoming lost in his thoughts then he heard the dark skinned girl speak.

"I think Sokka has a spare set of clothes back with Appa, yours are tattered beyond all recognition."

"Appa?"

"You'll see!" Aang laughed.

After they made their way back to where Appa was…

"WHAT IS THAT!" Zuko shrieked.

Aang smiled and leaped on to Appa's head to greet him, "This is Appa! Just your average ten-ton flying bison. Say hi boy!"

Appa let out a load yawn as Sokka climbed up to the bison's saddle. The water tribe warrior began to rummage through a few bags, and soon after he threw down some clothes to Katara. She then gave them to Zuko.

"Thank to err umm…"

"Katara," she told him.

"Ah yes Katara. So sorry I just, you know having to learn three new names over and…"

The water tribe girl cut him off, "Its fine I understand. There is no rush for you to remember things so just take your time. However we need to go soon, so get changed." She smiled and shoved Zuko behind some bushes as she too climbed in to Appa's saddle.

Zuko joined the trio after changing, and Appa took flight. Zuko was a little suprised at first, but Aang did say that Appa was a flying bison. They traveled for days stopping to camp and practice bending.

A week had passed and Zuko was becoming impatient with himself and his bending abilities. He would listen to Aang, Katara, and Sokka talk around the campfire at night. They would talk about penguin sledding, and ice dodging. Zuko didn't have any memories to share with them. He was starting to feel helpless. One night after the animals and humans where asleep Zuko found a vacant area to work on his firebending.

Another week had passed and he had finally mastered breathing and creating a fireball in his hand. He hand been remembering the story Aang told him about a firebending master that told him breathing is the first step. Zuko also remembered hearing that breath is the key to firebending, however he couldn't remember where he heard it from before. Something about that made his heart ach. That same night he was followed.

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A/N: Dont forget to let me know what you think


	3. 3: Campfire Stories

Disclaimer: I want Avatar to be mine, but it is not! I feel the void in my live growing, so I fill it by writing fan fiction.

Note: Anything in _Italic_ is said in thought.

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"Campfire Stories"

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Zuko was standing on the shoreline of a small river. Concentrating his breathing as he formed fire into a tight spear shape. A pair of ocean blue eyes watched him as he tried to remember his Fire bending skills. In the eyes of his watcher Zuko looked somewhat out of place in the cloths that Sokka had given to him to wear. Clad in a short sleeve blue gi standing on a shoreline and bending fire just seemed a tad out of place. How ever the watcher didn't speak, and was about to leave when. 

CRACK!

A twig had snapped under the weight of Zuko's observer's foot.

"Who's there," the prince asked putting a serious tone in his voice and holding the fireball ready to throw it at who ever might emerge form the foliage.

Letting out a small and nervous chuckle Katara stepped out for her spot in the bushes that ran just along the sandy shore. "Hey Zuko. I heard you get up and I was just wondering what you were doing. And now I know so I will just be going now." She began to head back towards the campsite.

"Wait Katara," Zuko's voice made the waterbender girl freeze in her tracks. He extinguished the blazing spear he had been welding.

"Yeah?"

As the girl turned back to face Zuko he beckoned her over to him as he flopped down on to the sandy bank of the river. A bit hesitant at first Katara made her way over to him. She knelt down waiting for him to speak. Poor Katara couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable around Zuko even thought they had been traveling together for two weeks, and he had shown no signs of recovering any memories of Aang, Sokka, or her.

"I can tell you don't really want to travel with me." Zuko's voice became very hushed as he spoke to her, "None of you do."

"T-that's not true. We would not have asked you to come along if we-"

The firebending prince had cut her off, " Then why do you all always seem to distance yourselves? I listen to the three of you talk about adventures you have had, and I realize I'm not included. It makes me wonder if…"

Katara reached out her hand and touched his shoulder. He was right, for the past two weeks they had been playing with Zuko saying he was someone they knew, which was true. However they had made him believe they had been friends before his accident. Katara was beginning to feel guilty over having shown Zuko a false smile when she first invited him to join the three of them in their travels to find Aang bending masters.

Taking a deep breath Katara built up the courage to final make a comment to Zuko's troubles, " You see Zuko… That is… We are afraid of you."

"Afraid of me? But why?"

"We have been worried that if you regain your memories to fast you might…" she didn't know how to finish telling him what she was too frightened to say.

"I might what?" Zuko turned and took Katara by the shoulders, "Tell me what you know! You are the only one that even seems to trust me in the smallest amount."

She began to feel scared. The tone he had used just reminded her of all the cruel encounters she had had with him in the past. The look on her face made Zuko feel sad that he could frighten her so much, but on the other hand the look on her face frustrated him. "_What was she scared of? What would she tell him that would make her so frighten that she wouldn't reveal the smallest detail to him. If anything he would be grateful to her._"

Suddenly a voice rang out, "HEY!"

The sound was like music to Katara's ears. She looked over her shoulder to see Aang standing with Sokka just beyond the bushes. Quickly Katara smiled at the two boys.

"What are you doing out here," Sokka asked in a huff.

Zuko began to speak first but was quickly cut off by Katara, " I was just showing Zuko some of my bending." She swiftly conjured a snake like stream of water that she made hover through the air then back in to the river.

"Next time tell me when you're going to be practicing! I still need to work on water bending." Aang said as he ran to Katara's side with a worshiping look in his eyes.

Katara smiled lovingly at the adorable boy, as if he were her own little brother. Something about that looks exchanged between the two annoyed Zuko. "I'm going to sleep," he said as he stormed off back to the campsite.

"We should all be sleeping," Sokka said with his arms crossed over his chest.

For the next few days Katara distanced herself when it came to talking or spending time with Zuko. She still felt bad about not telling him anything, but it was better that way wasn't it? She soon came around and was able to function normally. And Zuko never brought up anything about what had happen, as if it had never been a problem.

One night Aang and Zuko we concentrating on forming a large fire ball together. They sat a crossed from each other and their palms flatly facing the other. As the flame began to grow Sokka's voice interrupted, "Hey have you two gotten that fire lit yet?"

Both Aang and Zuko looked at the water tribe boy and raised an eyebrow, Zuko had taught Aang how to make that annoyed face. They lowered the flame to a pile of brush they had gathered and placed between them. Soon the campfire was lit and crackling away.

Later that evening Katara was serving dinner. She had just given Zuko his bowl, "You both have gotten so much better at firebending!"

"Yeah its kind of fun learning with Zuko," Aang chirped.

Zuko was also in a pleasant mood over the bending he and Aang been doing. "I have to admit learning it with someone else makes it a bit more tolerable. I can summon the fire effortlessly now." He raised his hand and a flame appeared and danced in his palm. Then he simply dismissed the red-orange heat and it burned itself out. He gave a smile to show he was pleased with himself.

Aang and Katara both laughed with joy for him. Sokka just sat there muttering, " Yeah we're all so happy. Soon he can burn us to a crisp with just a look!"

At that moment the campfire went out, and darkness surrounded the camp as well as another presence.

"Ok Zuko stop playing around," Sokka ordered.

"That wasn't me…"

"Uh-oh."

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A/N: Well? Do you wonder what will happen or what? LOL. 


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